Back When
by Baying-for-the-Moon
Summary: Many years ago, back when Bellatrix Lestrange was just little Bella Black, she was my best friend.... One-Shot. R


**Hey guys, I know I really should be writing on my stories, but after seeing HP 6 for the second time today (which was AWESOME by the way), I felt great inspiration to write something about dear Bella. Relax, I'm moving on to edit a chapter for The Best Birthday Present Ever right now, then I'm beginning a new chapter either for my Twilight story, or to continue my half-done chapter for my Naruto story. I'm not sure which I'll feel compelled to write yet. **

**If your not previously a reader of mine, enjoy! ....Enjoy even if you are, I just wanted to welcome new reader, not that I don't love the old rea- Oh, forget it! Just read the story! :p**

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Many years ago, back when Bellatrix Lestrange was just little Bella Black, she was my best friend.

Back before we attended Hogwarts, or realised there was a rather large difference between dark and light, we preferred it this way.

Bella was the oldest, I came only a year after, and Cissy was three years younger than I. We enjoyed Cissy as much as could be expected, as she was three and four years younger than us respectively. Back then, we much preferred our favorite cousin, Siri.

Back then, we would have endured many hours with babies Reg and Cissy if it meant we weren't being fawned over by mothers 'friends' each time they came for tea. Even more of that seemed torture if we avoided our daddies scary colleagues, though we couldn't even tell you what that word meant then. Yet, we were forced to greet, and accept the compliments due to us gratefully. Back then, we were proper, young, pure-blood witches.

Luckily for us, Cissy and Reg got along just as well as we did with cousin Siri. That was back before cousin Siri became Sirius Black, mass murder, and little baby Reg became Regulus, follower and eventual betrayer of the great Dark Lord.

Cousin Siri began to die to us the night we received our first letter from the new Gryffindor. It was a disgrace! Bella even thought so, and as she was already a mighty Slytherin, I unquestionably believed my favorite sister. I preferred it that way.

Back then, magic was still a wonder, Reg and Cissy were still the babies, and I couldn't wait until it was my turn to go to the school I already loved. Secretly, I missed cousin Siri, but not enough to put a damper on my joy.

Back then, there were no house rivalries. I hadn't yet been sorted into Ravenclaw, and my sisters hadn't yet made fun of me for being a know-it-all. Or even worse, all the jeers I began to receive from fellow pure-bloods as I migrated toward the Hufflepuff table.

Back then, there were no spouses, or even boyfriends. Bella hadn't yet committed herself totally to our old and ridiculous pure-blood ways, Narcissa wasn't yet the graceful and beautiful hostess, and I hadn't yet become the muggle-loving traitor; though I doubt my family was ever courteous enough to use that term.

Back then, my sister wasn't insane. She grew into that, because of some old customs I was never privy too. I still prefer it this way. Cissy remained the housewife, and thankfully she never became proud of an evil tattoo marring her perfect skin. She always was the beautiful one.

Back then, we simply loved each other because we were sisters; not yet hating each other because of the wish of a maniac. We even loved our baby sister, and mother and father. Though, Cissy's is the only love I even wish to retain now.

All back before Bellatrix Lestrange was a Deatheater, Narcissa Malfoy was a trophy, or I, Andromeda Tonks, was blasted off the family tree.

We frolicked in the yards, played exploding snap with cousin Siri, tricked baby Cissy into eating a vomit flavored bean, and cousin Reg to interrupt mummy in one of her teas.

We dreamed of a school that would make us great, and an order that had begun to form even then. Though back then, it was a cause to be fought, and not the manifestation of death.

We loved each other unconditionally, and the family in a slightly less gracious manner; they were loved none the less.

We played witches and wizards; poor Cissy was usually the wizard. Though, the game was much more fun when our favorite cousins joined us.

Most importantly, we dreamed, loved, and played.

I was thirteen the year I first heard the word deatheater, fourteen when I finally learned the extent of what it meant, and fifteen when I saw my sister throw away her life for a mark that in my opinion, only maimed what innocence she still held.

By twenty, I'd been blasted off the family tree, shortly after my dear cousin; I'd been hunted and ultimately left alone; I'd witnessed a sister younger than I commit her life to a man she barely knew, a pure-blood fanatic she claimed to love; I'd been stripped of everything I once held dear.

I couldn't particularly bring myself to care. I created a family. I reconnected with a lost cousin. Morned said cousin when he became a wanted fugitive. I learned things about the muggle world. Wonders, delightful things I would never of had the chance to even come across if I'd followed one sisters path, and things I would only be expected to destroy if I followed the other.

The last time I spoke to my sister, my little Dora was skipping around Diagon Alley, delighted to finally be going to the school of magic I had also so anticipated. Her eye held an insane glint as she hissed words I do not recall -nor do I wish to- at me. That same insane glint followed my daughter as she talked to a familiar elderly wizard who frantically searched his store for the right wand for Nymphadora. I saw my baby trip, and pull up a robe to reveal a skinned knee. Bellatrix Lestrange licked her lips in delight at my daughters pain.

I never wished to see her again.

But sometimes I remembered.

Back when we were just little Bella and Andy Black, and we were best friends.

I preferred it that way.

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**Personally, I like it.**

**I'd love a review. Even if it is just to yell at me for not updating in forever. I'd still treasure it forever.....**

**P.S. Sorry for any mistakes!**


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